Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner Jim Phillips, right, appears on an ACC Network broadcast with host Taylor Tannebaum, left, outside Acrisure Stadium before Notre Dame’s NCAA college football win over Pittsburgh, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Beard)

PITTSBURGH – Pitt is one of 12 Atlantic Coast Conference schools set to play nine conference games during the 2026 season, the ACC announced Tuesday, as it unveiled each of its 17 football programs’ conference opponents.

The Panthers’ home conference slate includes Florida State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Syracuse. Pitt will travel to face Boston College, California, Louisville, Miami and Virginia Tech.

Additionally, Pitt will host three non-conference games: Miami (OH) on Sept. 5, Central Florida on Sept. 12 and Bucknell on Sept. 26.

The ACC will release the full 2026 football schedule, including all game dates and times, in late January.

Lions back recognized

UNIVERSITY PARK — Senior running back Kaytron Allen was recognized as a second-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association on Tuesday.

Allen picked up his second All-American honor this season by an NCAA-recognized outlet. He was tabbed a third-team All-American by the Associated Press on Monday.

He joins redshirt junior offensive lineman Olaivavega Ioane among Nittany Lions earning All-American honors this season.

Cignetti captures award

Indiana’s Curt Cignetti exceeded expectations again this season and it earned him a second consecutive honor as The Associated Press coach of the year in college football.

Cignetti is the first coach to win the award in back-to-back years since it was first presented in 1998. He is the fourth coach to win it twice, joining Brian Kelly, Gary Patterson and Nick Saban.

The 64-year-old Cignetti is 24-2 while leading the Hoosiers to unprecedented heights in his two seasons since leaving James Madison of the Championship Subdivision to take over what had been the losingest program in major college football.

Last year, the Hoosiers won their first 10 games, were ranked as high as No. 5 in the AP Top 25, and reached the first round of the College Football Playoff.

In 2022, the Hoosiers became the first Bowl Subdivision program to reach 700 all-time losses. They entered this season with 714, a figure that still stands, and they’ve since been passed by Northwestern (717) for the dubious FBS mark.

Badger enters portal

The transfer portal doesn’t officially open for another two and a half weeks, but several players have already begun announcing their intentions to throw their name in and look over their options.

One of those players is Wisconsin starting cornerback Geimere Latimer.

Latimer is the older brother of incoming West Virginia running back Amari Latimer, who inked with the program during the early signing period. He also played for WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez during the 2023 and 2024 seasons at Jacksonville State.

Staying put

Even though some notable quarterbacks have hit the transfer portal — D.J.Lagway of Florida and Dylan Raiola of Nebraska — some are remaining with their teams.

Some of those marquee players include Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers. Sagapolutele started as a freshman all season while Sellers will be a junior next fall.

Love declares for NFL draft

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is bypassing his senior season to enter the NFL draft.

Love announced his decision on Tuesday, three days after finishing third in voting for the Heisman Trophy that went to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Love rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns while also catching 27 passes for 280 yards and three more scores this season. He became Notre Dame’s first winner of the Doak Walker Award, which is given annually to college football’s top running back.

His season ended when Notre Dame failed to make the playoffs, and then the school declined any bowl bid.